Wire-and-slat basket



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. M. A. HAMILTON. WIRE AND SLAT BASKET.

Patented Sept. 23, 1890.

. IIIIIIII" IIIIIIIIIII qwiiwzoo as (No Model.) I I 2 Sheets-Sheeu 2. M.A. HAMILTON. WIRE AND SLAT BASKET.

No. 486,917. Patented Sept. 23, 1890.

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WlRE-AND-SLAT BASKET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 436,917, datedSeptember 23, 1890'.

Application filed May 25, 1889. Serial No. 312,052. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MILTON A. HAMILTON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Detroit, county of WVayne, State of Michigan, have inventeda certain new and useful Improvement in Baskets; and I declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in theconstruction of baskets; and it consists, essentially, in themanufacture of baskets of various kinds and forvario'us uses, the shellof the basket being formed from a fabric made of slats interwoven with awarp of wires in a manner analogous to a fabric of this generaldescription embodied in United States Letters Patent granted to meNovember 29, 1887, No. 373,828, and on March 13, 1888, No. 379,219, andalso in another application pending herewith relating tothe constructionof woven fabrics and packages made therefrom.

The object of this invention is to providea basket that will be simplein construction, durable in use, and comparatively inexpensive ofmanufacture.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a view in perspective with parts brokenaway to show the interior. Fig. 2 is also a perspective of amodification. Fig. 3isavertical section. Fig. 4 is a similar sectionillustrating features of my invention; and Fig. 5 is a diagram of thefabric of which the basket is constructed, showing the tension of thewarp graduated from one edge to the other of said fabric to admit ofexpansion.

I carry out my invention as follows:

A represents the shell of the basket, constructed of afabric of slatso,interwoven with a warp of wires a. The edges of the fabric when it hasbeen formed into desired shape for the shell are secured in any desiredmannor, as by clips a B represents the bottom of the basket, which maybe constructed in one or more pieces, as preferred, and which may beengaged with the fabric in any suitable manner. In some cases it will bedesirable to construct the fabric with a croze of interwoven wires A, ina manner described in my said patents or the bottom may be recessed toreceive a crozewire, if desired. I do not, however, limit myself to theuse of a croze in the union of the fabric with the bottom.

As more fully described in my pending application, above referred to, Icontemplate in some cases the compression of the lower edge of the shellupon the bottom and to hold the compressed fabric thereupon by a hoop O,located upon the exterior of the fabric, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. Insome cases, also-as in fruit-baskets and the like-I contemplate theexpansion of the upper portion of the shell and to secure the fabric insuch an expanded state by an interior hoop D, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.In some cases, n1oreoveras, for in stance, in scrap-baskets-Icontemplate locating upon the upper edge of thefabric a rim E, which maybe made integral with the hoop D or separate therefrom.

The fabric may be expanded. to desired shape over a suitable form, thehoop D being then engaged in place to prevent the retraction of thefabric and hold it in its expanded condition. To facilitate theexpansion of the fabric the warp of the wires may be interwoven with theslats with different degrees of firmness, the wires which are intendedfor the bottom of the shell being woven very tight and graduating, asdesired, in a lesser degree of intensity or firmness toward that part ofthe fabric calculated to form the upper part of the basket.

If it is desired to have the shell run upward for a short distance thesame or substantially the same diameter as the base, the wires may bewoven of equal intensity for that distance. Wherever expansion is wantedthe wires should be interwoven with suitable looseness to admit therequired degree of expansion. In this manner baskets of any preferredshape may readily be provided. Additional hoops intermediate of the topand bottom of the basket may be employed, if desired, as at C, Fig. l,for instance. 7

By weaving that portion of the fabric close and firm which is toconstitute the lower part of the shell the basketmay be made tight atIoo the bottom, or by weaving the entire fabric close and firm theentire basket may be made tight, while the expansion may also make thebasket flare in a suitable manner. Where the fabric is woven of theproper width for a single basket it may be so woven that the flare willbe provided for without expansion by simply weaving in the wires withdiiferent degrees of firmness, so that I do not limit myself to aflaring basket produced by ex pansion alone. It will be convenient,however, at least for many purposes, to weave the fabric in widthssuitable to be cut into strips for the shell of the baskets. In somecases, as in a square basket, the bottom may also be made of the fabricherein referred to,

'the shell being provided with cleats 0, upon which the bottom may rest.Additional cleats 0' may also be employed to stiffen the fabricintermediate of the top and bottom of the shell- In Fig. 1 theconstruction shown provides also for a knockdown basket, the bottombeing removable, when the shell may be collapsed or flattened. So, also,in connection with the basket shown in said figure, F represents myimproved handle, which I prefer to make so as to have a movableengagement upon the shell. For this purpose the arms f of the handle maypass inside the adjacent loops of the warp-wire and within staples fdriven into the shell. The lower ends of the handles may be looped orotherwise shaped to prevent the disengagement of the handles. Instead ofpassing the arms f f within the warp-wires, additional staples may beemployed. For a knockdown basket it will be convenient especially tomake the handles movable in this or any other suitable manner, so thatthey may be forced downward to have their upper portions on a line withthe edge of the fabric, as thereby the basket may be packed morecompactly. A round basket may also be constructed in aknockdowncondition, the bottom being readily removable.

The baskets may be provided with intermediate partitions where it isdesired to break the bulk of the contents of the basket, and

a any suitable cover may be employed-as, for

instance, of the woven fabric. Abasket so constructed is economical andat the same time strong and durable.

In some cases the entire fabric may be compressed from the top of theshell to the base to make the basket tighter, in which case one or moreadditional hoops C may be employed to hold the fabric in a compressedcondition. A basket so constructed is not only tight, but very firm aswell.

Vhat I claim is- 1. A basket having, in combination with a bottom, ashell formed from a previously- Woven fabric of slats interwoven with awarp of wire, the tension of said warp graduated from one edge to theother of said fabric to admit of expansion, and said shell made flaringat the top of the basket, substantially as described.

2. A basket having, in combination with a bottom, a shell formed of apreviously-woven fabric of slats interwoven with a warp of wires,

said shell expanded toward the upper portion of the basket,substantially as described.

3. A basket having, in combination with a bottom, a shell formed of apreviously-woven fabric of slats interwoven with a warp of wires,

said fabric expanded and held in its expanded condition by a hooplocated on the inside of the fabric, substantially as described.

4. A knockdown basket having, in combination with a bottom, a shellformed of a fabric of slats interwoven with a warp of wire,substantially as described.

5. A basket having, in combination with a bottom, a shell formed of afabric of slats interwoven with a warp of wire, and a handle passedunder said wire and held in place by staples engaging the handle uponthefabric, said handle having a movable engagement in said staples andbeneath the said wire, substantially as set forth.

6. The fabric herein described, consisting of slats interwoven with awarp of wire, the tension of said warp-wires graduated from one edge ofthe fabric toward the other to admit of expansion of one edge of saidfabric, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of twowitnesses.

MILTON A. HAMILTON.

Witneeses:

N. S. WRIGHT, CHAS. F. SALow.

